Improvement in broom-heads



E. 1. MERICILP Broom-Head.

Patented FebJ v In E mlm mr Zfwsses.. HKM@ fr STATES PATENT rrroa.

ELDRIDGE J. MERIOK, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN BROOMHEADS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 159,954, dated February16, 1875; application filed June 20, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELDRIDGE J. MER- ICK, of the city of Rochester, inthe county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a certain newand useful Improvement in Portable Brooms; and I do hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact description of theconstruction and operation ofthe same.

My invention is an improvement on that for which I now have a pendingapplication in the Patent Oflice. It consists in an improvedconstruction and arrangement of the jaws,vthe handle, the cross-head,and the guide-loops for sustaining the parts in place, as hereinafterdescribed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a front elevation. Fig. 2 is an edgeelevation. Fig. 3 is a bottom view on an enlarged scale. Fig. 4 is aperspective view, showing the guideloops.

A is the handle, and B B the jaws. The latter are made ot' sheet metal,or other suitable material, and extend down, so as to form a socket,which incloses and clamps the upper ends of the broom-stuft'. They arepivoted together at a a by screws, which pass through the outer and intothe inner thickness, and serve as the axis on which the jaws turn inopening or closing.

E is the cross-head or retainer in the socket at the lower edge ot' thejaws, and extending centrally across the longitudinal axis of the same.It is smooth, having no brads, and is made fast to the handle-socket A',which passes down through, being flattened at the junction with thecrosshead. The cross-head is, therefore, a permanent xtnre with thehandle, and the jaws simply close around it. are screws, three on aside, which pass through the lower edges of the jaws and into thecross-head or retainer E in opposite directions, as shown. These formclamps for clamping thejaws up in place when the broomstuft has beeninserted.

By the use ot' the screws in the two opposite sides, the jaws can becentered relatively to the cross-head, so that the broom is even andperfectly balanced.

7c k are guide-loops at the outer edges or ends ot' the jaws, extendingcrosswise. Two

on each side are preferable, one att-ached to each jaw, and standing inopposite directions One on each side, however, might answer.

Z l are journals or bearings, extending from the ends of the cross-headthrough the guideloops k 7c, and having heads m m, resting outside t-heloops, which prevent withdrawal or the slippingl of the loops from offthe journals. 'Ihese guide-loops 7c k, which form one of the novelfeatures of my invention, slide upon the journals l l, when the jaws areexpanded or opened, and form gages to the motion of the jaws, so thatthe latter will be equally opened from the central cross-head for theinsertion of the broom-stuff. By this means the cross-head is keptcentered in the socket of the jaws, and equal amounts of the broom-stuffcan be inserted on both sides, thereby balancing the broom. This greatlyfacilitates the filling, and obviates much difculty which would arise ifthe jaws opened unequally.. In addition to this, the guideloops retainall the parts in proper place, and prevent disengagement, especiallywhen strain is applied in using the broom.

Another novel feature in my invention consists in combining with thepivoted jaws B B the cross-head E, carried to the bottom, and connectedrigidly with the handle socket. By this meansv the cross-head and handleform a stiff connection from top to bottom, while the jaws simply closearound them to clamp the broom-stuff in place. Being centered and heldbythe opposing and adjustable screws z' t' i, the broom-stuft' is thusmade fast to the handle, which is the fulcrum or moving power, and thescrews serve to center the broom-stuff on the handle equally on bothsides. It prevents great leverage and strain coming on the socket A, inwhich the handle is generally secured.

Having thus described my invention, wh at I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination, with the cross-head E, made fast to the handle A A', ofthe guideloops lc k and the journals Z Z, with heads m on, arranged tooperate in connection with the jaws B B, in the manner and for thepurpose specited.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

' ELDRIDGE J. MERIOK. Witnesses:

It. F. OsGooD, E. B. Soo'r'r.

